Health Benefits of Babara Nut seed (Eastern Nigeria delicacy, Okpa)

Okpa is a popular legume prepared by removing the outer covering of the Babara seed and grounding to flour from which the thick solid food forms out of the flour during cooking. Water, oil and other condiments are added to make it look like the popular moimoi. This food delicacy is actually common among the Igbos of Eastern Nigerian. It is good source of protein which I cherish a lot. To those of you from eastern Nigerian who love eating Okpa usually hawked in the early hours of the morning in Lagos and other parts of the country. Here is good news for you.

Okpa has numerous health benefits. Here are a few nutrients found in Okpa and just 7 of the health benefits, though they are more.

The Milk:
Its seed is said to consist of:
49%-63.5% carbohydrate,
15%-25% protein,
4.5%-7.4% fat,
5.2%-6.4% fiber,
3.2%-4.4% ash and 2% mineral compared to whole fresh cow milk of:
88% moisture,
4.8% carbohydrate,
3.2% proteins,
3.4% fat, 0.7% ash,
and 0.01% cholesterol. Its chemical composition is comparable to that of soy bean. Furthermore, BGN has been reported to be a potential crop, owing to its nutritional composition, functional properties, antioxidant potential, and a drought resistant crop.

Bambara groundnut milk (BGNM) had been rated higher in acceptability than milk from other legumes like soybean and cowpea. Probiotics have been defined as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amount confer a health benefit on the host. These benefits have been reported to be therapeutic, suppressing the growth and activity in conditions like infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. The nutritional profile of BGNM is high enough to sustain the growth of probiotics. BGNs are normally boiled and salted, eaten as a relish or roasted, and eaten as a snack. Hence, Babara nut milk can also be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a probiotic beverage that not only increase the economic value of the nutritious . These benefits have been reported to be therapeutic, suppressing the growth and activity in conditions like infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. The nutritional profile of nut milk is high enough to sustain the growth of probiotics. BGNs are normally boiled and salted, eaten as a relish or roasted, and eaten as a snack. Hence, BGNM can also be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a probiotic beverage that not only increase the economic value of the nutritious legume but also help in addressing
malnutrition.

1.) Reduces danger of stomach cancer
The antioxidant properties of the fatty acids in the Bambara groundnuts have the capacity to suppress the production of carcinogenic substances in the stomach. Hence, it prevents from any damage to the mucus lining of the stomach, it prevents irritation caused to the same due to the carcinogenic substances and hence, it helps in lowering the risk of stomach cancer.

2.) Antimicrobial action
Bambara groundnut milk is more easily acceptable as compared to the milk from other legumes in its species. It is rich in probiotics. Probiotics are microorganisms, which have been claimed to provide health benefits to the humans and animals. When probiotics are delivered in appropriate amount, extend to a benefit of the health of the recipient. These benefits to the recipients are subduing the development and action of the microbes in infection such as:
1. IBS – irritable bowel syndrome
2. Diarrhea
3. IBD – inflammatory bowel disease.


3.) Rich radix of lysine
The human body cannot produce lysine; hence, it has to be dependent on external supplements of the same. Bambara groundnut is generously gifted with this essential amino acid, which is also a building block of proteins.

4.) Lowers Cholesterol
Lysine is an essential element helping in proper growth, and plays a very important pin the manufacturing of carnitine. Carnitine is a nutrient accountable for breaking down of the fatty acids to provide energy to the body, thus it lowers the cholesterol levels in the blood.

5.) Maintains Healthy Bone
Lysine also aids in the absorption of calcium for the proper growth of the bones in the body. It helps in the genesis of collagen, which is very essential for connective tissue formation, such as tendon, skin, cartilages and bones.

6.) Multi health benefits of Bambara protein
The Bambara groundnut flour is very high in protein. This essential nutrient is used to treat and cure a lot of disorders and diseases in several of the world as a traditional therapeutic treatment.
7.) Fights Kwashiorkor
Bamabara groundnut plays an important role to provide the protein nourishment in the rural areas of many continents for the children. This helps those children to defeat Kwashiokor

Source: Golden Living Health article